SaskTel Centre ready to host Remembrance Day event

The SaskTel Centre will host a Remembrance Day ceremony and parade on Wednesday.

Over its history, the annual event has become a mainstay of Remembrance Day activities in the city.

“It’s a great event,actually,to recognize and honour members of the armed forces who’ve given their lives in the line of duty but it’s also is a day of rememberance for the men and women in uniform who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace,” said SaskTel Centre executive director Scott Ford during an appearance on the Brent Loucks Show.

Ford said that with between 8,000 and 10,000 people expected in to attend, the event is one of the largest indoor Remembrance Day ceremonies in Canada.

“It started over two decades ago and our building was a good building for it because we had the ability to hang the risers and generate about 50,000 square feet of floor space for the parade which is part of the service,” Ford said.

People are being encouraged to carpool or take city transit to help minimize traffic congestion. The City of Saskatoon is providing free transit service to and from the event. Buses will be available at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue downtown from 9 a.m. to 10 15 a.m., or from the Market Mall and Centre Mall bus terminals starting at 9:45 a.m.

SaskTel Centre doors open at 9 a.m. with a choir performance expected around 9:25 a.m., followed by the beginning of the formal program at about 10:25 a.m. The event is scheduled to wrap up around 12:15 p.m.